Friday Five: 5 Things I Want to Learn

I have been missing the routine of going to class and the excitement of learning something new.  School might be stressful at times, but it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.  I really enjoy learning something new, whether it's something to do with anthropology or not. So here are 5 things I would like to learn:

1. How to decorate a cake. And by decorate I mean those little roses or something more elaborate than shaking on some sprinkles.

2. How to sew.  Like really sew, not just fix a hole in something.

3. How to make wheel thrown pottery.  I am hoping to take a class before the end of the summer.

4. Fluency in French.  This is something I'm working on and something I need to demonstrate for my PhD.  It's also something I would really enjoy knowing. 

5. How to make the perfect fruit cake.  I know most people think the only good thing about a fruitcake is to use it as a doorstop.  I personally love fruit cake but I haven't had a good one since the last time my Grandma made it for me.  If only she'd kept recipes of the things she baked. 

Listed on eBay

My first listing on eBay in quite some time, check it out

Hooray for 3 day weekends!

This past weekend was a much needed time for our family to slow down. Although we had originally planned to do some home improvement projects, both Evan and Josh were feeling under the weather with a cold so we changed our plans. Rather than working this weekend, we relaxed. I think we had sort of forgotten what that was like. It was really nice.

*We played at the park:

*Had our first fire:

*Toasted marshmallows and made s'mores:

*Played the bean bag game with our buddy Matt:



*Watched a beautiful sunset:

*Matt taught me how to chop wood and I chopped my first log. It was fun!

*Made blueberry muffins

*Read the Sunday paper front to back.

*Slept in

Josh's birthday/Guys birthday party

I've been meaning to post these, but kept forgetting. Pictures from Josh's 30th birthday and the combined birthday party we had for Josh and Evan.

Presents!

Brownies!

No, not the kind you eat....Brownie Scouts. This Tuesday Abby "bridged" from Daisies to Brownies. They had a nice little ceremony in the park in town which has an actual bridge for them to walk over.


The whole troop:



Bridging over...




Singing a song together...

Update

I went with my sister to the high-risk ob/gyn today and saw my little niece (70% sure it's a girl) on the ultrasound. It was very cool. Although she mostly looks like a sea monkey still, I can already tell she's going to be adorable. I just hope she stays inside her Mom's tummy long enough to have a good start in this world. Still trying to think positively.

In other news, I have the beginnings of a strawberry in my pot garden. Very exciting! I am really enjoying my little garden so far.

Good thoughts and prayers needed

This blurry ultrasound photo is of my niece or nephew. 



This is my baby sister Cassandra, who is 4 months pregnant.





We have known for awhile that along with the baby, Cassandra has a fibroid in her uterus. Today we found out that the placement and size of this fibroid is not so great. In fact, she's a high risk pregnancy and currently on bed rest. There is a danger of the baby's oxygen being cut off. There are also dangers for my sister.

Cassandra and I might get into our little arguments or whatever, but she is always my baby sister. And I love my baby sister VERY much. I am very worried about them both. Please keep Cassandra, her husband Joe and their baby in your thoughts and prayers.

Zoo Pictures

Although Mother's Day has long since passed, I thought I would still share our photos from our Mother's Day trip to the zoo.

Meerkats!

Friday Five: 5 Guilty Pleasures

 Today's Friday 5...my 5 current guilty pleasures.

1. Watching Brothers and Sisters on DVD.

2. Naps.

3. Reading non-fiction while curled up on the couch in my pajamas.

4. Blackberry jam on crackers.

5. Coke zero with cherry syrup from Steak N Shake.  There's just something about fountain sodas.

Heard around the dinner table

Tonight at dinner, Abby randomly blurted out:

"Evan has a date with Matthew".  

Keep in mind, Evan has not had a date yet.  I'm pretty sure when the big day arrives, it will be a date with a girl.  Also, Evan has no friends named Matthew.  

Spring Sing

Last week Abby had a "spring sing" which was super cute.  Each grade in her school sang a few songs.  Some of the kids were hilarious with the way they were really getting into dancing along.  Abby had a very serious look on her face the whole time she was singing. 

Not the greatest photos ever as our camera is on the fritz. Abby is wearing a yellow & black patterned dress.




The whole class

Finally!

For the past 2 months, a lot of my conversations with my classmates or my family have revolved around a small and nearly extinct primate.  My "big paper" of the semester that I poured so much of my time and energy into was about the black and white ruffed lemur.  Why it's in danger, why we should save it, and the best plan for conserving the species.  Since I started researching this little critter, I have wanted to go to the Lincoln Park Zoo and see one. Yesterday I finally got to go and see if this little fuzzy guy was worth all the fuss I'd made over him. It is.  My pictures aren't the greatest because I wasn't very close to him/her.  It was very exciting for me though.  I don't plan on changing my focus from ethnology to primatology, but I could see getting involved in a conservation project in a cultural capacity to help save animals like this little guy.  I learned so much this semester and it really opened my eyes about conservation.  Anyway...here are my photos of the the Lincoln Park lemur:

Best comeback of the week

My kids insult each other....ALOT.  I feel like a referee most of the time for all the times I have to say "Don't call you brother or that!" or "Stop teasing your sister!"  Today was no exception.  They were bored and tired from a long car ride and starting to grate on each other's nerves.  I couldn't help but chuckle when I heard Abby say to Evan....

"Well you wear pants on your head!"

Some of my favorite things...

Some of my favorite things in our house...

The memo board we were hang pictures or cards:




Our fireplace. One of the things that I love most about our house is the fireplace.



Our bookshelf. All of us love to read.



Photos of the couples in our families. My Mom recently gave me my Grandma's (her mom) wedding photo and I have to find the right frame to add it. In these photos are us, my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, Josh's paternal grandparents, Josh's parents, and us again.